A freelancing former U.S. Intelligence Agent tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by the Irish and the Russians. Ronin has Robert De Niro at his best and is a throwback to the early and late 1980's and 1990's action movies that we loved. The action was amazing with some terrific car chases, foot chases and lots of shooting, explosions and great perfomances from it's talented cast. The movie also has some insane twists that go back and forth as of why is this package so important and who really wants it the most. I think that Ronin is one of De Niro's most underrated works from the late 1990's and one that will please fans of the action genre alot in the end. (10/10) (A+)

This French-set thriller opens with Sam, a former CIA operative entering a Parisian bar; here he meets Deirdre, an Irish woman who is recruiting a team to steal a case that the Russians are also keen to get their hands on. We are quickly introduced to the rest of the team; Vincent, Gregor, Spence and Larry. One of their number is soon dismissed when it is revealed that he is just a wannabe rather than the skilled ex-soldier he claimed. The remaining members get on with the job but just as it looks as though they have got the case it turns out that one of their number intends to betray them and inevitably he gets his hands on the case. Now both the Russians and the remaining members of the team are after the case and if that weren't enough the team's Irish employers seem about to betray them as well.If you are looking for a solid thriller with plenty of action this is definitely worth watching. There are plenty of impressive shootouts and a couple of really good car chases. There are several tense moments and a few real surprises. The story itself is fairly simple and we never learn what is in the case. The fact that the case remains a McGuffin is a good thing to my mind; this way it can be whatever the viewer thinks it is; if it was explained explicitly we'd be wondering how realistic it is that both the Russians and a shadowy Irish group want with it. The cast features plenty of well-known actors most of whom are on good form. Robert De Niro puts in a solid performance as Sam and Jean Reno is equally impressive as Vincent. Natascha McElhone impresses as Deirdre and Stellan Skarsgård is great as Gregor. Sean Bean is fun as Spence even though his character isn't around for all that long. The ending is satisfying although trying to tie it in to certain real life events seemed a bit forced. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of classic action-thrillers; especially if you like a really good car chase.

John Frankenheimer's 1998 action opus pretty much slipped under the radar on release – I'm lucky to find someone who's heard of it, let alone seen it. That's a real shame because this is definitely in the top five action movies of the last ten – maybe even twenty – years. Packed from beginning to end with twists, double-crosses, triple-crosses, tons of action from shoot-outs to car-chases, effortless cool and a great cast, this is a superb movie. David Mamet's uncredited influence is clear in some of the wicked spy stuff that De Niro indulges in – like the photographing, for instance – and the script crackles with electricity throughout. Sean Bean also turns in an extended cameo and has some brilliant fireworks with De Niro near the start – it's a definite shame that his character shortly disappears, never to be heard of again.The film is set in France (and what with THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE TRANSPORTER, and MAXIMUM RISK also being set in those shores, it's a safe bet that France is the place to be for any aspiring action flick) and deals with a band of hired men, required to retrieve a suitcase from unknown villains. Only problem, its heavily guarded and never leaves the wrist of an important businessman. Soon enough the film is chock full of shoot-outs at Roman ruins and two flamboyant, amazingly powerful car chases, full of stunts, incredible driving, and some quite brilliant smashes and pile-ups. The cast is great; De Niro doesn't seem to make an effort yet his charisma shines through, and this is my favourite performance of his even over the likes of TAXI DRIVER. Jean Reno is underused but effective. Add to this the beautiful but icy Natasha McElhone, the sinister-eyebrowed Pryce and a subdued turn from Starsgard as a businessman type, and you have a heck of a film well worth the watch. Extraordinarily underrated, this is one of my favourite action thrillers ever and one of the best films of the 1990s.

Ronin (1998): Dir: John Frankenheimer / Cast: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean: Here is an action film that slaps Robert De Niro's mug on the poster with a gun aimed to fire, and it expects to hide the reality of an action film that is clearly not as respectable as it desires. Filled with action clichés with Robert De Niro leading an ensemble of freelance agents assigned to steal a silver briefcase. Trouble arises when De Niro suspects a double cross within the group. That always seems to be the case, right? Directed by John Frankenheimer with a terrific production but plot is standard and caters to action violence. Frankenheimer previously directed The Manchurian Candidate and the remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau that nobody seemed to warm up to despite Brando's wardrobe. De Niro is the sell but he isn't exactly playing a character of any great stretch. He basically heads a group of faceless fighters who will engage in combat at any opportunity. Among his teamsters are Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, and Stellan Skarsgard although none of them have anything to work with. It is purely about the action therefore the characters are merely props for action scenes. It might have been more interesting had the film examined such operations but its purpose seems to be to display a big budget and as much action as possible. Score: 2 / 10